𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲!

~~~~

3𝐑𝐃 𝐏𝐎𝐕-

The sun was setting outside the school, casting a warm golden hue across the empty hallways. Most of the students had already left for the day, but Kageyama and Tsukishima found themselves in one of the empty classrooms, books, and papers scattered across the desks. Kageyama was hunched over his math textbook, and brow furrowed in concentration as he attempted to work through a particularly tricky problem. Across from him, Tsukishima watched with an amused smirk, occasionally glancing up from his own notes.

Kageyama’s pencil scratched against the paper, his frustration growing with each passing minute. No matter how hard he tried, the numbers just weren’t adding up. He shot a quick glance at Tsukishima, who was quietly watching him struggle. There was something oddly comforting about having Tsukishima nearby, even if Kageyama didn’t quite understand why.

“Why do we even need to learn this stuff?”

-𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇-

Kageyama muttered under his breath, erasing yet another mistake. His annoyance was clear in his voice, though it was softened by the familiar presence of his teammate.

Tsukishima chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair with an air of superiority. “Because, Kageyama, if you don’t pass your exams, you won’t be able to play volleyball. And then what would you do with your life?”

Kageyama shot him a glare, but there was no real heat behind it. “I’d figure something out,” he grumbled, though the thought of not being able to play volleyball sent a shiver down his spine.

“Sure you would,” Tsukishima teased, his tone light and playful. He reached over, tapping Kageyama’s textbook with his pencil. “Here, you’re overcomplicating it. Just focus on the basics.”

Kageyama sighed, but he leaned in closer, following Tsukishima’s guidance. As he did, their shoulders brushed together, sending an unexpected jolt through Kageyama. He stiffened slightly, unsure of how to react to the sudden closeness.

-𝐓𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐏-

He tried to ignore the feeling, focusing instead on the numbers in front of him. But his mind kept drifting back to the warmth of Tsukishima’s shoulder against his, the way their hands almost touched as Tsukishima pointed out the solution.

“There you go,” Tsukishima said after a moment, his voice soft and almost encouraging. “See? It’s not that hard when you stop overthinking.”

Kageyama nodded, though his thoughts were a tangled mess. He should have been relieved that the problem was finally solved, but all he could think about was the way Tsukishima’s voice had sounded so close to his ear, the way his breath had tickled his skin.

“Thanks,” Kageyama muttered, not trusting himself to say much more.

Tsukishima didn’t reply, but there was a knowing glint in his eyes as he leaned back in his chair, casually stretching his arms behind his head. The movement caused his shirt to ride up slightly, revealing a sliver of pale skin that Kageyama found himself staring at for just a moment too long.

Kageyama quickly averted his gaze, feeling his cheeks warm. What was wrong with him? This was Tsukishima, the same sarcastic, infuriating guy he’d known for years. So why did it suddenly feel like the air between them was thick with something unspoken, something that made his heart beat faster and his thoughts scatter?

“Kageyama,” Tsukishima’s voice broke through his spiraling thoughts, and Kageyama blinked, realizing that Tsukishima had been talking to him.

“Huh? What?” Kageyama stammered, trying to play it off as if he hadn’t just been caught staring.

“I said, you’ve been acting weird lately,” Tsukishima said, his tone somewhere between teasing and genuinely curious. “Is something bothering you?”

Kageyama opened his mouth to deny it, to brush off the question with a simple “I’m fine.” But the words got stuck in his throat. Was something bothering him? He wasn’t even sure himself. All he knew was that things had been different between them recently, and he didn’t know how to handle it.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Kageyama finally said, though it came out more uncertain than he intended.

Tsukishima raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. He leaned forward, closing the distance between them once again. “Are you sure? You’re acting like you’ve seen a ghost or something.”

Kageyama felt his heart skip a beat as Tsukishima’s face came closer, his breath warm against his skin. The proximity was making it hard to think, and Kageyama found himself lost in the golden hue of Tsukishima’s eyes. He didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to explain the confusing mix of emotions swirling inside him.

“Tsukishima,” Kageyama started, but he didn’t know how to finish the sentence. What was he even trying to say? That he was confused? That he didn’t understand why his heart raced whenever Tsukishima was close? That he didn’t know what to do with these strange, new feelings?

But before he could find the words, Tsukishima’s hand came up, lightly brushing against Kageyama’s. The touch was brief, almost hesitant, but it sent a shockwave through Kageyama’s entire body. He froze, his breath catching in his throat as he stared at Tsukishima, who was now watching him with an unreadable expression.

Time seemed to slow down as they sat there, the world outside the classroom fading away. Kageyama’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, none of which made any sense. All he knew was that he couldn’t look away from Tsukishima, couldn’t ignore the way his heart was pounding in his chest.

“Kageyama,” Tsukishima said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “You’re really bad at hiding things, you know that?”

Kageyama swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. “I... I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he lied, though even he could hear how unconvincing it sounded.

Tsukishima’s lips curled into a small, knowing smile. “Sure you don’t.” He leaned in a little closer, their faces now just inches apart. “But you’re not the only one who’s confused, you know.”

Kageyama’s eyes widened at that, his confusion only deepening. “What do you mean?”

For a moment, Tsukishima didn’t answer. He just looked at Kageyama, his gaze intense and searching, as if he was trying to find something in Kageyama’s eyes. Then, slowly, he reached up, gently brushing a strand of hair away from Kageyama’s forehead.

Kageyama’s breath hitched at the touch, his heart racing even faster. The moment was so intimate, so unexpected, that he didn’t know how to react. All he could do was sit there, frozen, as Tsukishima’s fingers lingered against his skin.

“You’re not the only one who’s been thinking about this,” Tsukishima said quietly, his voice soft and sincere. “I’ve been trying to figure it out too.”

Kageyama’s mind was spinning. Was Tsukishima saying what he thought he was saying? Did that mean Tsukishima felt the same way, that he was just as confused about these new, strange feelings?

“I don’t understand,” Kageyama admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know what’s happening.”

Tsukishima’s expression softened, and for the first time, Kageyama saw a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. “Neither do I,” he admitted, his hand still resting against Kageyama’s cheek. “But maybe we don’t have to figure it all out right now.”

Kageyama swallowed hard, his throat tight with emotion. He didn’t know what to say, didn’t know how to process everything that was happening. All he knew was that Tsukishima was right there, close enough to touch, and that the idea of pulling away felt impossible.

-𝐓𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐏-

For a long moment, they just sat there in silence, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air. Kageyama’s heart was pounding so loudly in his chest that he was sure Tsukishima could hear it. But despite the confusion, despite the uncertainty, there was something comforting about the moment—something that made Kageyama feel like maybe, just maybe, they could figure this out together.

~~~~

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠!<3
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